How a beach volleyball legend pushes back at youth sports' status quo

How a beach volleyball legend pushes back at youth sports' status quo

Stephen Borelli, USA TODAY

Down 2-0 to Valkyries in WNBA semifinals, defending champion Aces face elimination at home

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Becky Hammon is blunt and brutally honest.

Caitlin Clark denounces the hateful messages Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell says she received

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark still wants Kelsey Mitchell as a teammate — even though Clark understands that's not always easy.

Heat center Bam Adebayo kept the secret that A'ja Wilson was the WNBA's MVP again

MIAMI (AP) — A'ja Wilson found out Thursday that she was the WNBA's Most Valuable Player.

P.J. Fleck has reached 100 career wins. Minnesota is happy to keep rowing with him

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — P.J. Fleck's self-professed best day in football was highlighted by Minnesota's first home win over Michigan since 1977 — and full of energy from start to finish.

The Steelers' tempers flared in Cleveland. The players say it's a sign of passion, not impatience

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers learned the NFL is a reality show, complete with cameras that rarely miss a thing — particularly anything he does — long, long ago.

Burton's 3-pointer with 41 seconds left helps send Valkyries past Aces 83-81 for 2-0 semifinals lead

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Veronica Burton hit a deep 3-pointer that put Golden State ahead with 41 seconds left and converted two free throws in the closing seconds, Tiffany Hayes had 21 points, and the Valkyries held off the Las Vegas Aces 83-81 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five WNBA semifinal series.

Canadian phenom Kaylee Hunter 'just scratching the surface' with national team

MONTREAL — Janine Sonis has spent more than a decade in Canadian women's national team camps, and she believes teenage phenom Kaylee Hunter has the tools to go as far as she wants.

A Syracuse legend takes the reins: Gerry McNamara vows to restore the Orange to 'national relevance'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The basketball buzz is clearly back in Syracuse, thanks to a familiar face.

'This is not a friendly': Canadian women honing identity ahead of qualifiers

The head coach of Canada's women's soccer team says her group isn't playing games for fun in the lead-up to next summer's World Cup.

Bucks entering uncertain new era as they adjust to life without Giannis Antetokounmpo

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tyler Herro understands the skepticism surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks now that they’ve traded away Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP who led the franchise to its first title in half a century.

Hilllmon's late bucket, Reese heroics lead Dream to an OT win over Liberty

ATLANTA (AP) — Angel Reese scored 23 points, Naz Hillmon made the go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left in overtime and the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals.

Teenage figure skaters increasingly targeted by social media abuse as campaign launches

Teenage figure skaters as young as 13 are being increasingly targeted by abusive comments on social media, Olympic gold medalist Evan Bates has warned.

Virginia's Thijs De Ridder and Johann Grünloh adapted quickly. That has them ready for Year 2

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Thijs De Ridder couldn't help but feel uneasy as he shifted from multiyear professional player in Europe to first-timer in American college basketball, complete with returning to the classroom.

Hockey N.S. launches pilot program to teach young players about consent, hazing

HALIFAX — The head of a provincial body that governs organized hockey in Nova Scotia is touting a new educational program that targets players after a series of hazing incidents and assaults have rocked the sport.

Jefferson aims to rejoin the Vikings this week, with a long-awaited trip to play his hometown Saints

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson began developing his exceptional pass-catching skills as the youngest of three boys in a football-loving family in the New Orleans area, before following both of his older brothers to LSU a little more than an hour up the road.

Golden State looks to finish out semifinals against Las Vegas in game 3

Golden State Valkyries (32-12, 15-8 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (31-13, 17-6 Western Conference)

'They are not valuing him!' - Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother questions treatment of Portugal legend after Jorge Jesus row

Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, has expressed her heartbreak and frustration following her son's dramatic departure from the Portugal national team camp. The Al-Nassr superstar left the squad during the international break after a breakdown in his relationship with head coach Jorge Jesus.

Breanna Stewart: Liberty moving on after confusion over timeout in Game 2 OT loss

NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty are moving on from Game 2 and the confusion of whether they had a timeout in the waning seconds of overtime.

Ex-college basketball player Kerr Kriisa admits demanding $9,000 from victim in fraud scheme

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa admitted Thursday to demanding $9,000 from a victim as part of a fraud scheme.

49ers DE Mykel Williams excited to get back on the field for 1st time since knee surgery

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Defensive end Mykel Williams has spent nearly a year working his way back after a torn knee ligament cut short his rookie season for the San Francisco 49ers.